Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings will need to push for playoff positioning this season in a down NFC.
If the Minnesota Vikings come up short of the postseason for a third year in a row, people will be blamed for the organization’s ongoing failures.
Despite having stability at ownership and a consistently strong roster for the better part of a decade now, the Vikings have been massive underachievers in the NFC. Given that they play in what will be the weaker of the two conferences, there are no excuses for Minnesota to miss out on the playoffs for a third year in a row. Heck, they can even win the NFC North crown this season.
If the Vikings make a mess of it and not take care of business, these men could be blamed for it.
Minnesota Vikings: 3 potential scapegoat candidates for a down 2022 season
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Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
GM Minnesota Vikings
A strange draft and a bad season will not be a good look for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
It may be only his first year on the job, but first-time general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will get a fair share of the blame if the Vikings struggle this season. While rookie defensive back Lewis Cine may be a special player, mostly because he is an absolute … DAWG!, Adofo-Mensah’s decision to trade the No. 12 pick to the Detroit Lions so they could draft Jameson Williams was an odd one.
Though going with former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the Vikings head coach might work out for the team, Minnesota could have had Jim Harbaugh. It seemed like he really wanted to be their next head coach. Harbaugh had worked with Adofo-Mensah during their brief overlap with the San Francisco 49ers. He is a proven commodity, while O’Connell is not.
No, Vikings ownership will not get rid of a first-time general manger after his first season on the job. However, a weird draft and another frustrating year on the gridiron could have people quickly turning their backs on Rick Spielman’s replacement. Adofo-Mensah has big shoes to fill because his predecessor was excellent. Minnesota may have taken that for granted, but it is what it is now.
A postseason berth will quell any sort of doubt that has been cast over the Adofo-Mensah hiring.